Bandera County Committee On Aging Inc

DESCRIPTION:THIS AGREEMENT PROVIDES FUNDING FROM THE INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT AND JOBS ACT (IIJA). EPA'S CONSUMER RECYCLING EDUCATION AND OUTREACH (REO) GRANT PROGRAM WILL FUND A RANGE OF PROJECTS THAT WILL INCREASE WASTE PREVENTION ACTIVITIES, INCREASE THE COLLECTION OF RECYCLABLE MATERIALS AND PROGRAM PARTICIPATION RATES, AND DECREASE CONTAMINATION OF THE RECYCLING STREAM, FUND PROJECTS THAT FOCUS ON COMMONLY RECYCLED MATERIALS SUCH AS MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE (E.G., PLASTICS, ALUMINUM, PAPER, GLASS, ETC.), INCLUDING FOOD WASTE AND ORGANICS, AND/OR FUND PROJECTS AND PROVIDE TOOLS AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE THAT WILL LEAD TO LONG-TERM, SUSTAINED CHANGE, BENEFITS, AND SUPPORT BEYOND THE LIFE OF THE GRANT. THE PURPOSE OF THIS AWARD IS TO ENHANCE THE BANDERA COUNTY COMMITTEE ON AGING EFFORTS TO MEET THE REO GRANTS ELEMENTS. SPECIFICALLY, THE BANDERA COUNTY COMMITTEE ON AGING WILL CONDUCTING AN EXTENSIVE REO CAMPAIGN INCLUDING COMMUNITY REO EVENTS, REO DISTRIBUTIONS, REO HEALTH/INFORMATION FAIRS, HISPANIC COMMUNITY REO EVENTS, COMMUNITY TASKFORCE EVENTS, COMMUNITY PROPERTY CLEAN-UP ACTIVITIES, AND DOOR TO DOOR REO.ACTIVITIES:THE ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED INCLUDE COMMUNITY EVENTS, HEALTH AND INFORMATION FAIRS, DOOR TO DOOR OUTREACH, COMMUNITY CLEAN UPS, AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF RESOURCES TO PROMOTE RECYCLING. THE GRANTEE WILL ALSO FORM A COALITION OF COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS AND LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES TO INTRODUCE RECYCLING INTO HILL COUNTRY. THE GRANTEE WILL USE THE EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPED DURING ITS COVID-19 VACCINE DEPLOYMENT AND MEALS ON WHEELS SERVICE DELIVERY TO TARGET HARD-TO-REACH INDIVIDUALS AND AREAS, INCLUDING DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES. THIS WILL GREATLY INCREASE THE AVAILABILITY OF RECYCLING, WHICH IS NOW AVAILABLE AT ONLY ONE LOCATION IN THE ENTIRE COUNTY, AND THEY ARE OPEN FOR THREE HOURS ON SATURDAYS SUBRECIPIENT:NO SUBAWARDS ARE INCLUDED IN THIS ASSISTANCE AGREEMENT.OUTCOMES:THE ANTICIPATED DELIVERABLES INCLUDE A COMPREHENSIVE EDUCATION AND OUTREACH PROGRAMMING, TOOLKIT, WEBSITE, AND TRAINING MATERIALS FOR THE HILL COUNTY COMMUNITY IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH. THIS WILL INCLUDE AN ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN, BILLBOARD CAMPAIGN, DOOR TO DOOR OUTREACH, AND VOLUNTEER/COMMUNITY AMBASSADOR EDUCATION. THE EXPECTED OUTCOMES INCLUDE 24 COMMUNITY REO EVENTS, 24 REO DISTRIBUTIONS, 12 REO HEALTH/INFORMATION FAIRS, 6 HISPANIC COMMUNITY REO EVENTS, 6 COMMUNITY TASKFORCE EVENTS, AND 6 COMMUNITY PROPERTY CLEAN-UP ACTIVITIES. THE INTENDED BENEFICIARIES INCLUDE 14 COMMUNITIES WITHIN A FOUR-COUNTY SERVICE REGION, ALL 14 RURAL, 11 LOW-INCOME. THE AREA HAS A POPULATION OF 22,770 PEOPLE, 17.1% HAVE NO HEALTH INSURANCE, 12.3% ON MEDICAID, 16.5% ON MEDICARE, 13.8% LIVING BELOW POVERTY, 14.9% ARE FOOD INSECURE, 28.8% ARE OVER THE AGE OF 65, 28.9% OF ADULTS ARE CONSIDERED OBESE, 41.5% HAVE NO ACCESS TO PHYSICAL ACTIVITY CENTERS, AND THE PATIENT TO CLINICIAN RATIO IS 4,565 TO 1. THE HISPANIC POPULATION IS 21.3% WITH A MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME OF $28,800.